Appointments with the Counseling Center are required and can be scheduled by phone or in person. Counseling appointments cannot be scheduled online.
The first appointment with the Counseling Center is called a "triage" appointment. The total appointment time is 45 minutes. The first 15 minutes are spent completing an online assessment and questionnaire. After, the student meets with a counselor for up to 30 minutes to discuss their concerns. At the end of the appointment, the counselor will make recommendations for the next step. Sometimes students find the triage appointment has met their needs and no further services are necessary.
When further services are needed, the triage counselor will discuss their recommendations with the student. Options might include the following:
In order to meet significant student demand and use its resources most effectively, the Counseling Center utilizes a short-term therapy model. When a student is referred for an "Intake" appointment at the Counseling Center, the counselor and student work together to determine the number and type of sessions that are needed based on the nature of the student's concerns and available resources. If longer term counseling is needed, the counselor will help a student find a referral to a therapist in the community.
Students who are referred to the Counseling Center for short-term individual counseling may request a specific counselor on the basis of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or professional training. This may mean a longer wait until the requested counselor becomes available.
If you have a scheduled appointment with the Counseling Center that you need to cancel, please notify us as soon as possible, preferably 24 hours in advance. This will allow us to offer the time to another student. Appointments can be cancelled online through the Health Service portal (accessed through Banner) or by calling the Counseling Center at 603-646-9442.
There is no charge for counseling services at the Counseling Center.
Counseling Center services are available for all full-time, enrolled students. There is no charge for counseling services on a short-term basis. Students needing long-term therapy may receive a referral from the Counseling Center to a community mental health provider.
Spouses or domestic partners of full-time enrolled students are eligible for a one time courtesy visit to obtain a referral to a community mental health provider.
Dartmouth Faculty and Staff seeking counseling services are not eligible to be seen at the Counseling Center. Faculty and Staff should contact Dartmouth College’s Faculty/Employee Assistance Program (F/EAP). There are two ways to access the Faculty/Employee Assistance Program (F/EAP):
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that is related to the changes in seasons. For many people who experience SAD, symptoms start in the fall and continue through the winter months. It is normal to have some days when you feel down. If you feel down for days at a time and can't get motivated to do activities that you normally enjoy, you should consult with a Counseling Center counselor. Treatment for SAD may include light therapy, psychotherapy, or psychotherapy and medications. Light therapy is often the first line of treatment for fall-onset SAD. Research on light therapy is limited, but it seems to be effective for many people in relieving SAD symptoms.
Students interested in light therapy can borrow one of the sun lamps from the Counseling Center. We allow students to check-out the lamps for one to two weeks, depending on demand. If all of the lamps are out on loan, we will place you on a waiting list and contact you as soon as a lamp becomes available. If you would like to check on the availability of a lamp, please call the Counseling Center at 603-646-9442.